MNT: Tales of Tellus
by My Serendipity Road
Summary: An epic fantasy story that revolves around family, friendship, and romance as our ninja turtles get caught in a foreign world of magic. Embarking on a quest to find each other again, and safely return home, they meet all sorts of new people and creatures on the way. Lessons are learned, and lives are lived and lost as our heroes of Manhattan venture forth into the unknown.


_Darkness lay heavy on the lands,  
Weighing down the hearts of men,  
And as they looked to the sky, they cried,  
O Creator of All, let the Dragons of Time be born again,  
Let us shelter underneath their wings,  
And the Great Sword of Justice defend us._

- Raynard Cobaltus of Southern Tellureas

**Prologue:  
Road of prophecy **

The lair occasionally shook as the stone rumbled in memory, groaning as if it felt just as defeated as its owners. Ripped cables sparked and broken lamps flickered its lights, revealing motes of dust that hung thick in the air. Scorch-marks scarred the walls and ceiling, a reminder of the soaring lighting that had struck this place that once was called a home.

Rock cascaded down as a wall caved in on an already smashed television. On the floor lay weapons of all kind, sprawled and forgotten. The couch was torn, partly soaked with dark red stains. Yet through all the mess a single sign still hung on the wall, pushed aside by the bulging stone behind it.

Reading '_Sewer sweet sewer'_, it now felt more like a betraying kind of mockery rather than the kind reminder of what the lair actually represented.

"My sons..." Splinter wandered about, graciously keeping his balance as he stepped over the rumble. "Where are you? My sons!" The edge of his brown tattered robe glided through a pool of blood, wide-eyed and despondently he searched the room for a sign of life.

It was only then he caught the glimpse of a body. One leg twisted in an abnormal position, green skin mostly scorched away, the rest lay open and bare with seeping wounds. His weapons were long gone, haunted eyes staring at the gaping ceiling above, frozen still.

"My son!" Splinter shouted, his hoarse voice echoing throughout the lair. Dashing for the motionless body, he stumbled and scrabbled over the floor to reach him. Broken, the giant rat took the turtle's body in his arms. His clawed hand trembled as he ran it over its bald and bruised head, brushing away the tattered cloth from his face.

The blue mask, damp from sweat and blood, fell down on the ground, and the old man cried.

"Leonardo, my son. No..." His breath hitched, and his whispers faded into the sobs of a man who had just lost everything.

Behind him the air slithered, shadows rippling into the solid form of a man. The stranger was cloaked in complete black attire, and looked about. His mouth tightening into a grim line with everything he saw. For a fleeting moment he considered returning, but his presence was already known, and before he could even blink the edge of sword was held against his throat.

"What happened here?" Splinter growled, his expressions stolid but for the tears that were caught in his fur. The man, double the height of the rat, looked down at him with a stoic expression. Remaining silent, a threat soon followed. "I will not repeat myself – speak now, or taste the blade."

"Leader of the Hamato clan," The stranger began slowly, cautious of the obvious threat at his life. "I do not know the exact details of what happened here, but I do know who is responsible for it."

"Explain yourself," Splinter demanded, eyes narrowed and darkened as he tried to fight away the tears. He had to remain strong. "Where are my other sons!"

"They are alive, but not on this world anymore," The man could sense the danger growing as the hate inside the rat intensified. He did not want to fight, but feared it could come to that if he misspoke. "The three others were transported far away to complete the prophecy, and your fourth son will die if the same does not happen to him as well."

Momentarily Splinter's grip on the katana loosened as he glimpsed at the body. His heartbeat quickened with the thought of his son still being alive.

"Yes, he is still is among the living," The man said, and urged, "But barely. He needs to follow his brothers - the Dragons of Time need to rise again, for an old evil is brewing. A former enemy you know very well will soon have the power to destroy worlds – Mine, as well as yours."

"The Shredder..." Splinter whispered the name, instinctively knowing the kind of evil that was behind all of this. He sensed it now. Still faint, but the stench of the demon still lingered here. Quickly, he turned towards the man in black. His eyes were fixed, determination and wrath burned inside them.

"What needs to be done?"

* * *

**Short and sad. I promise you a longer and more upbeat first chapter.**


End file.
